Meowth(ニャース,Nyāsu, Nyarth), known as the ScratchCat Pokémon, has a distinctly feline appearance, resembling a small housecat. It has cream-colored fur, which turns brown at its paws and tail tip. Its oval-shaped head features prominent whiskers, black-and-brown ears, and a koban, a gold oval coin (also known as "charm") embedded in its forehead. Meowth are valued for their ability to collect coins using their signature move, "Pay Day", as it is the only Pokémon that learns it. Meowth's coloration, its love of coins,[1] and its charm indicate that Meowth is based on the Japanese Maneki Neko, a cat-shaped figurine that is said to bring good luck and money to its owner. Aspects of Meowth were drawn from a Japanese myth dealing with the true value of money, in which a cat has money on its head but does not realize it.[2]

In the anime, Team Rocket's Meowth had taught himself to walk and talk like a human to impress a trainer's female Meowth named Meowzy. Unfortunately for Meowth, Meowzy broke his heart by calling him a "freak". After that Meowth joined Team Rocket and became friends with two people called Jessie and James. Meowth was once Giovanni's favourite Pokémon, but to his horror, he was replaced by a Persian. Then the rivalry between the Persian and Meowth began. Giovanni would still keep his Persian since Meowth hasn't had any success in Team Rocket when it came to stealing Pokémon, always foiled by Ash and his friends ("the twerps"). Meowth is the brains of the Team Rocket trio, and although they often do manage to steal their target Pokémon, they have rarely managed to bring them back to Giovanni, and never convinced him of their usefulness.

Persian(ペルシアン,Perushian), known as the ClassyCat Pokémon, is a larger, stronger and faster cougar-like Pokémon that evolves from Meowth at level 28. They are popular as pets because of their glossy fur, but they are often depicted as fickle, cruel and unimpressed by things. Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket and leader of the Viridian City Gym, notably has a Persian.

Persian, although popular for its elegance, is extremely difficult to raise as a pet. Underneath its refined façade is a fierce predator. It will scratch anyone, including its trainer, with little or no provocation. One should be wary if Persian raises its tail straight up, as it is a signal that Persian is about to pounce and bite. It also has muscles in its legs that allow it to sneak up behind people and pounce without them realizing it. Persians have been observed ripping their prey apart for no discernible reason. When a Persian is yanked by its whiskers, it becomes temporarily docile. The reason for this is unknown. Persian are known to hold their tail out straight if they are experienced battlers.

In the anime of Pokémon, it is known for the boss of Team Rocket, Giovanni, to have a Persian. It is Giovanni's pet Pokémon, rather than a battle Pokémon. The Persian was first introduced in the episode "Battle aboard the St. Anne", where it came up to Giovanni's side, mortifying Team Rocket's walking and talking Meowth. Thus the rivalry between the Pokémon began, although Persian has had a tendency of winding Meowth up on many occasions. Persian is always known to be by Giovanni's side or around him, and loves being the center of attention. Giovanni's Persian has battled once with Ash Ketchum's Pikachu, defeating it easily with Shadow Claw and Power Gem.

Psyduck(コダック,Kodakku, Koduck), known as the Duck Pokémon, resembles a yellow duck with hands on ears platypus with a vacant stare. It has a tuft of three short black hairs at the top of its head. It walks on its hind legs, and has arms rather than wings. Though it has powerful psychic abilities, it cannot use them at will unless its chronic headache intensifies. Its appearance is meant to trick enemies into thinking it is weak. It has arms with three claws on each to deliver scratches if threatened. Psyduck live in freshwater lakes, small ponds, or rivers in tropical areas.

Golduck(ゴルダック,Gorudakku) are large bipedal platypuses, with blue skin and strong, webbed appendages that give them the ability to swim at high speeds. Due to their bluish color and webbed hands and feet, Golduck are sometimes mistaken for Kappa. They have more formidable psychic powers than Psyduck, and they lose the headaches that they constantly suffered from. The gem on their heads glows when they use psychic powers as well as when they swim at full speed.

They live in fresh-water lakes and rivers, where they are seen gracefully swimming, especially at dusk. As one of the faster swimming Pokémon, they can out swim even the most athletic of humans, though they often train with swimmers. As they are able to swim in severe storms, they are sometimes found rescuing people lost at sea from danger.

Mankey(マンキー,Mankī), known as the PigMonkey Pokémon, is a monkey-like Pokémon of the fighting type that has a round pig-like snout that can be found in the grassy areas of Kanto and Johto. It resembles a large hairball with eyes, a snout, arms and legs. It is usually calm and somewhat mischievous, but if it gets angry, it can be very dangerous. Mankey will battle amongst each other if they get even remotely angry at the smallest of things, and are very quick. Mankey enjoy various fruit, such as honeydew melons or perhaps Hondew Berries.

In the anime, a Mankey stole Ash's trademark cap, mocking him with it. After James kicked it, the Mankey soon evolved into a Primeape which Ash then caught after subduing its rampage with Charmander.

IGN editor "Pokémon of the Day Chick" praised Mankey's design, saying "he actually looks like a Pokémon as opposed to some freakish mini human".[3]GamesRadar editor Carolyn Gudmundson listed "Pig noses" as one of the most overused Pokémon designs, citing Mankey as an example. They further stated that "there's something really creepy about a "Pig Monkey" Pokémon."[4]

Primeape(オコリザル, Okorizaru) is a larger and stronger evolution of Mankey. Vicious and frenzied, even eye contact will anger it. Once it starts to thrash about, it will never stop chasing its offender. Its frenzies are most dangerous when forcefully woken up, as it relentlessly chases the quarry while half-asleep. Primeape can be obtained when a Mankey reaches level 28 and evolves. Primeape can also be found in some grassy areas in Kanto and Johto. Primeape is incredibly fast and very skilled in any form of combat. It is known for getting very angry before a battle and boosting up its stats.

A Primeape is caught by Ash Ketchum after evolving from a mischievous Mankey. He later gives it to a boxer to be raised into the best fighter it can be. It has never been referred to or used by Ash since.

Its name is a combination of the words "prime" and "ape," suggesting that this Pokémon and its pre-evolution, Mankey, organize themselves in a social hierarchy similar to monkeys. Its name is also a play on the word primate.

Growlithe(ガーディ,Gādi, Gardie) is known as the Puppy Pokémon. It has bright orange fur with black stripes. Its belly, tail, and fluff on top of its head are a cream color. Unlike its evolution, Growlithe has two claws on its forefeet, and its paw pads are brown (instead of pink). Growlithe are very friendly,[5] but protective of its territory, and will bark and bite to repel intruders.[6] If it smells something wrong, it will howl to force it out.[7] They are brave, and will fearlessly stand up to bigger foes.[8] It is loyal to its trainer, protecting them from harm.[9] Growlithe has a superb sense of smell, not forgetting any scent. It can determine the emotions of other living things.[10]

Growlithe appears in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Keep Going! Blazing Adventure Squad! as one of the selectable player characters. Growlithe first appeared in the anime in The Flame Pokémon-athon. This Puppy Pokémon showed up when Ash was making an attempt to attack a herd of Tauros while at a Pokémon Ranch. James had a pet Growlithe named Growlie when he was a child, but left it behind when he ran away from home at a young age. Growlithe and its evolved form have also been used as police dogs by Officer Jenny. In Pokémon Adventures, Blaine is seen to have a Growlithe, which he uses to track the smell given off by the cloth fragments William took from a frozen form of Red at Mt. Moon.

Arcanine(ウインディ,Uindi, Windie), known as the Legendary Pokémon, is a canine-like Pokémon whose head is covered in a cream-colored hair, except for the region around its eyes and ears, which is orange. Its body is a combination of the same orange fur with black stripes and completely black fur on its belly. It also has patches of cream-colored fur on its chest, legs and tail, resembling smoke. Its paws each have three toes and a round pink pawpad underneath. A legendary Chinese Pokémon, many are charmed by grace and beauty.[11] Others value Arcanine for its mane.[12] Nobody can resist bowing down to its magnificent bark.[13] Arcanine is known for its high speed. It is said to be capable of running over 6,200 miles in a single day and night. The fire that blazes wildly within this Pokémon's body is its source of power.[14] Originally called "Blaze" in beta versions, Arcanine's name comes from "arcane" and "canine".[15]

In a poll by Official Nintendo Magazine, Arcanine was voted as the fourth best Fire-type Pokémon. They stated that it "lost none of its good looks when evolving from Growlithe". They described it as having "the mane of a lion and the stripes of a tiger but it has the speed of a panther."[16] GamesRadar editor Carolyn Gudmundson called it "adorable."[17] In a poll conducted by IGN, it was voted as the 12th best Pokémon, where the staff described it as a "huge fire breathing dog that looks like a tiger for some reason". They stated that "He's still one of the strongest non legendaries in the game, and a fan favorite over a decade later".[18]

Poliwag(ニョロモ, Nyoromo), known as the Tadpole Pokémon, has blue skin with large eyes and a small pink mouth. The swirl on the stomach is semi-transparent, and the insides are visible through it.[19] The swirl pattern differs by area depending on its location compared to the equator.[20][21] Because it is unaccustomed to having legs, it does not walk easily, and prefers swimming.[22] Poliwag's skin is very thin, but is flexible enough for fangs to bounce off.[23]

In the video games, Poliwag is found by fishing or surfing in several water areas in Kanto and Johto. In Pokémon Pinball, a Poliwag appears on the Blue Table, and earns the player points when it is hit. In the anime, Misty obtained a Poliwag during the Orange Islands saga, which evolved into Poliwhirl and then Politoed. Max used a Poliwag at a Pokémon Trainer's School, and lost to a Magby. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, a Poliwag first appeared as one of the Pokémon who escaped from Professor Oak's lab.

Its English name is based on the word "polliwog", a synonym for "tadpole".

Poliwhirl(ニョロゾ, Nyorozo), also known as the Tadpole Pokémon, is a large, amphibious, froglet-like Pokémon. Its hands make it seem as though it is wearing white boxing gloves. It is capable of living in or out of water; in order to live out of water, it must sweat to keep its body slimy.[24] It prefers to live underwater in ponds where there is less danger.[25] In battle, it subtly undulates the spiral-shape on its belly to put the foe to sleep, using a type of hypnosis.[26] It is also capable of easily escaping the grasp of foes due to its greasy skin.[27]

As a child, Satoshi Tajiri collected insects and other small animals around his Machida, Tokyo home. Tajiri drew inspiration for Poliwhirl from the tadpoles that he collected; the swirl on the Pokémon's stomach comes from Tajiri's memories of being able to see tadpoles' intestines through their transparent skin.[28] Poliwhirl's English name came from a combination of the word "tadpole" and "whirl"; the later half of the animal name was combined with the symbol on Poliwhirl's stomach.[29]

In the video games, Poliwhirl is a Pokémon commonly found while fishing or surfing, and can evolve into either of two other Pokémon: Poliwrath with the use of a Water Stone,[30] or Politoed when Poliwhirl is traded to another game while holding a King's Rock.[31] In the Pokémon anime, Misty had a Poliwhirl in the Johto series, which later evolved into Politoed. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, a Poliwhirl named Poli was Red's first Pokémon and was obtained as a Poliwag before the first chapter. Along with Pika and Saur, it is one of Red's most frequently used Pokémon. In Buzz Off, Electabuzz!, Poli evolves into Poliwrath to save Red from drowning after touching a Water Stone, one of the four stones speculated to be at the bottom of Vermilion Harbor. During this, Red has a flashback to his little Poliwag evolving to save him from drowning before.

IGN strongly criticized Poliwhirl, especially the extensive use of the Pokémon by marketers. They argued that it is neither cute nor useful, and that it is not popular among most Pokémon fans.[32] The reviewer went as far as to say, "when are you PR people going to figure out that nobody likes Poliwhirl? It barely even qualifies as having a face!"[32] They expressed a desire "to kick his designers", and warned against using Poliwhirl in any type of serious battle situation.[32] Another reviewer called Poliwhirl "mediocre."[29]GameDaily named Poliwhirl the eighth weirdest looking Pokémon, citing its odd swirl and what they saw as its hypnotizing properties.[35]Time Magazine called Poliwhirl a "disk with bulging eyes."[36] Author Loredana Lipperini commented that cynics described Poliwhirl as a "swivel with purple gloves".[37]

Poliwrath(ニョロボン, Nyorobon), known as the Tadpole Pokémon, is the evolution of Poliwhirl. It has thicker arms, darker skin, and a slightly differently shaped "head area," giving more of the impression that it is like a boxer. Poliwrath is a master swimmer in every respect, due to its highly developed body and arm muscles that never fatigue regardless of use. Thanks to its incredible stamina, Poliwrath is said to be physically able to swim the entire diameter of the Pacific Ocean without obvious effort,[38] and its swimming efficiency allows it to easily overtake the best human swimmers in any controlled competition.[39] Although it is more skilled in the water, it lives on land.[40]

Poliwrath has made several appearances in the Pokémon anime, first appearing in "The Battling Eevee Brothers" and later as an opponent in "Charizard Chills" and "Hook, Line, and Sinker." Chuck used a Poliwrath against Ash in his Gym Battle in Machoke, Machoke Man. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, a Poliwrath named Poli was Red's first Pokémon and was obtained as a Poliwag before the first chapter. Along with Pika and Saur, it is one of Red's most frequently used Pokémon. In Buzz Off, Electabuzz!, Poli evolves into Poliwrath to save Red from drowning after touching a Water Stone, one of the four stones speculated to be at the bottom of Vermilion Harbor. At the Pokémon League, Poli and Pika helped Saur defeat Blue's Charizard. During the Gold arc, Red does not carry Poli on his team with him, enabling him to use both Green's Blastoise and Blue's Charizard. Poli's Damp ability combined with Deoxys's use of Skill Swap enabled Red to counter Carr's exploding Forretress in the FRLG arc.

GamesRadar criticized the developers for creating a tadpole Pokémon that stays as a tadpole into its 3rd evolution.[41]

Machop(ワンリキー,Wanrikī, Wanriky), known as the Superpower Pokémon, are human-like bipedal creatures that have gray skin, with three brown ridges on top of its head. They have large eyes and small tails. Machop, though small, has enough strength to hurl an adult human.[42] Machop's special muscles will never tire or cramp no matter how long it trains.[42] Machop spend their time and energy practicing all different forms of martial arts and trying to improve their abilities.[43] Machop will lift boulders and Gravelers as if they were dumbbells in order to strengthen their bodies.[44] Machop live in mountains, where they can hone their skills.[45] Some travel the world to master different types of martial arts.[44]

Destructoid's Jim Sterling included it in his list of the 30 "rubbish" Pokémon in Red and Blue. He wrote that it looked similar to the lizard from The Magic School Bus.[46]The Escapist's Keane Ng wrote that Machop was one of few examples in Red and Blue of Pokémon that are not of the "cute and/or cuddly variety" but not "muscle-bound monstrosities".[47]

Before the release of the English versions of Pokémon Red and Blue, Machop was known as "Kara-Tee". Despite its similarity to karate, a fighting style, its name is actually a corruption of the word T-shirt, which it does not wear.

Machoke(ゴーリキー,Gōrikī, Goriky) is nicknamed as one of the bodybuilders of the Pokémon world, due to its humanoid appearance, huge muscles, razor-sharp fangs, and the fact that it wears (what looks like) black Speedos. The belt around a Machoke resembles that of a professional wrestler and is worn as a means to keep Machoke's strength in check. It has been said that, without Machoke's belt, it would be considered very dangerous, but, understandably, no one in the Pokémon world has ever tried to remove it to prove or disprove the theory. Machoke's thoroughly toned muscles are harder than steel. Machoke are very strong, and can lift heavy objects with one finger (particularly sumo wrestlers and dump trucks). Because of this, Machoke are often employed for manual labor in the Pokémon world, and can be seen helping to move the player's belongings into his/her new home at the start of the game.

Machamp(カイリキー,Kairikī, Kairiky) is very similar in appearance to Machoke, except that Machamp has four arms instead of two. Machamp use the extra arms to deliver thousands of punches a minute, and can even execute moves so amazing they can knock the opponent over the horizon.

GameSpy's Justin Leeper compared Machamp to the Mortal Kombat character Goro.[48] Author Harry Schlesinger wrote that Machamp was popular among boys.[49] In a poll conducted by IGN, Machamp was voted as the 94th best Pokémon, where the staff stated that "Outside of Abra/Kadabra/Alakazam, the Machop/Machoke/Machamp series of Pokémon was my favorite evolution line", further elaborating that "I’ve always been a fan of fighting-based Pokémon, and to me nothing has come close to these wrestler-esque creatures". They went on to compare it to Timburr, Gurdurr, and Conkeldurr, stating "They don’t even come close".[50]

Bellsprout(マダツボミ, Madatsubomi), known as the Flower Pokémon, is a carnivorous, flower-like Pokémon, hunting small insects with blinding agility despite its skinny body. It is said to ensnare its prey in its vines and devour it, and can also spit a highly corrosive fluid that can melt even iron. Bellsprout's preferred habitat is warm and humid climates, since it can absorb more moisture from the ground by planting its root-like feet. In battle, Bellsprout can take advantage of its flexibility to bend and sway its way out of the range of its opponent's attacks.[citation needed]

In the video games, Bellsprout is commonly found among grassy routes, and is used by many Trainers who favor the Grass type. In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the Sprout Tower in Violet City is dedicated to Bellsprout.

Bellsprout has appeared numerous times in the anime series, most notably in "The Fourth Round Rumble," where Ash battled one during the Indigo League.

Weepinbell(ウツドン, Utsudon), known as the FlyCatcher Pokémon, is a bell-like Pokémon that resembles its pre-evolution Bellsprout, but without the vines and leaves. Instead of walking, it hops along or hangs on to tree branches and vines using the large hook on its rear end. It will swallow anything that moves and digest it within its stomach, and produces a neutralizing fluid to keep from being affected by its own strong stomach acids. If its prey is larger than it, it will first use sharp leaves to slice it up before eating.

Players can obtain a Weepinbell by catching it in the wild, evolving Bellsprout upon reaching level 21, or Snagging a Shadow Weepinbell in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. In Pokémon Ranger, enemy Weepinbell can swallow the protagonist whole, knocking him or her back to the beginning of the area.

Weepinbell has appeared in relatively few episodes in the Pokémon anime. It first appeared in "The School of Hard Knocks," and later when Celadon City Gym Leader Erika battled Ash with one. James' Victreebel was also briefly seen as a Weepinbell.

Victreebel(ウツボット,Utsubotto, Utsubot) is a carnivorous Pokémon based on the nepenthes plant. It lulls its prey with a sweet, honey-like scent, and also the vine on its head (which waves as if it were an animal) before digesting it with powerful stomach acids that can even dissolve bone. Normally, its prey are bugs, but it has been known to attack and consume small animals. Victreebel are said to live in huge colonies in the jungle, but those who have ventured to find them have never returned. Victreebel horde food, usually small birds and rodents, and collect Leaf Stones to perform strange evolution rituals at night to help Weepinbell become more Victreebel. In the video games, Victreebel cannot be caught in the wild in any of the Pokémon video games; it must be evolved from Weepinbell with a Leaf Stone.

In the anime, James of Team Rocket had a Weepinbell which evolved into Victreebel in the episode "The Breeding Center Secret." As a running gag, it usually tried to affectionately eat him as soon as it emerged from its Poké Ball (this tradition of James's Grass-type Pokémon hurting him was continued by Cacnea in the Advanced Generation series, and Carnivine in the Diamond and Pearl series). While most Pokémon speak in a vocabulary consisting of its own name, Victreebel, like Lapras, communicates through loud, high-pitched shrieks.

Tentacool(メノクラゲ, Menokurage) is an aquatic Pokémon based on the box jellyfish. It drifts aimlessly wherever the ocean currents take it, sometimes ending up in shallow waters where it may be accidentally caught in fishing lines. Tentacool may also end up stuck on beaches when low tide comes; since its body is largely composed of water, it will shrivel up, risking death from dehydration if it stays out of the sea for too long. Tentacool has two main weapons. At the tips of its tentacles are toxic feelers, which it uses to stab anything it touches with stinging acid. Due to its excellent camouflage in the water, Tentacool can often remain undetected by swimmers right up to the moment it stings them. Tentacool's gelatinous, watery body can also absorb sunlight and refract it within, producing beam energy it shoots from its crystal-like eyes.

Tentacool is available in all Pokémon games to date. It is extremely common, especially while surfing on sea routes, and is in almost every single body of ocean water.

In the anime, Tentacool was featured in the episode "Tentacool and Tentacruel" in which a raging mob of the titular Pokémon attacked the Porta Vista resort. The episode was banned in the US after the attacks on September 11, 2001 due to its scenes depicting Tentacools and Tentacruels destroying buildings at a seaside resort. The ban was later lifted, and a brief scene of the giant Tentacruel smashing a building appears in every opening.

Tentacruel(ドククラゲ, Dokukurage), called Man-O-War in the Beta, is known as the Jellyfish Pokémon. The evolution of Tentacool, Tentacruel are large, blue jellyfish-like Pokémon with 80 poisonous tentacles that can stretch and contract freely by absorbing water.[51][52] Their tentacles are normally kept short, but are extended to ensnare and immobilize prey.[53] Tentacruel have large red orbs on their head that glow before using an ultrasonic blast, which causes rough waves around it.[54] They live on rock formations on the ocean floor.[55]

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team, Tentacruel is a member of Team Constrictor, along with Octillery and Cradily. In the anime, a giant Tentacruel attacks the city of Porta Vista in the once banned episode Tentacool and Tentacruel. Multiple Tentacruel appeared in Viva Las Lapras, under the ownership of the pirate Captain Crook. A group of Tentacruel appear in DP190. Tentacruel are owned by multiple trainers such as Marina, Cassidy, and Juan. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, wild Tentacruel are first seen in "Wake Up--You’re Snorlax!." More prominently, it is seen in the possession of various villains such as Koga of the Team Rocket triad and Archie.

Geodude(イシツブテ, Ishitsubute), known as the Rock Pokémon, is a brown levitating boulder with bulging rocky eyebrows, brown irises, and muscular five-fingered arms. Geodude are very common Pokémon, usually found on mountain trails, fields, or in caves.[56][57] Geodude usually sit still, and are often mistaken for rocks, as people often step or trip on them,[57] which angers the Geodude.[58] When angered, Geodude uses its arms to swing its fists around.[59] Geodude uses its arms to steadily climb steep mountain paths, hoisting itself over.[59] Geodude are proud of their sturdy bodies and bash against each other in a contest of sorts to prove whose body is harder.[60] When Geodude sleeps deeply, it buries itself halfway into the ground, and will not awaken even if it is stepped upon.[61] In the morning Geodude rolls downhill in search of food.[61] The longer a Geodude lives, the more its edges are chipped and worn away, making it more rounded in appearance.[62] However, this Pokémon's heart will remain hard, craggy, and rough always.[62] Because of its round shape, it is easy to pick up, and are often thrown by people.[63]

Geodude is a recurring character in the Pokémon anime. Brock had a Geodude that he used many times before giving it to his brother, Forrest, on his departure to Hoenn. Roxanne used one in her battle with Ash in Winner by a Nosepass. Geodude and its evolved forms were the loyal subjects of King Onix in Hooked on Onix. Roark used his Geodude against Paul in Shapes of Things to Come and Ash in O'er the Rampardos we Watched. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Brock is seen with eight Geodude, attempting to halt the Magnet Train with a combined Magnitude attack.

GamesRadar's Brett Elston wrote that Geodude was one of the more famous Pokémon.[64] Geodude received criticism for so frequently appearing in various entries throughout the series.[65][66] It was also compared to the Pokémon Roggenrola by GamesRadar's Carolyn Gudmundson.[67] Author Harry Schlesinger wrote that Geodude was popular among boys.[49]

Graveler(ゴローン,Gorōn, Golone) resembles a large boulder with four arms and two stubby legs. It lives and feeds on rocky mountains. It will climb the slope of a mountain daily, snacking on small rocks along the way, and roll back down once it has reached the peak. Though it is not very fast when walking, a Graveler rolling down a mountain trail is a very dangerous thing to encounter. Carefree by nature, Graveler ignores most obstacles that may appear in its path, such as grass, trees, boulders or even people, since it can roll through or over them more often than not. It doesn't mind if a piece of its body gets broken off while rolling. Machop are known to use Graveler as training weights.

Destructoid's Jim Sterling named Graveler one of the 30 "rubbish" Pokémon in Red and Blue and wrote that it "takes no imagination to draw a face and arms on a boulder".[46]

Golem(ゴローニャ,Gorōnya, Golonya) is a Megaton Pokémon made from living stone, and one of the heaviest of all Pokémon species. Golem inhabits rocky mountains and volcanoes, often disguising itself as an inanimate boulder. It will annually shed its skin like a reptile, with its new shell often being bigger than the one before. Its body is almost impenetrable, able to withstand dynamite blasts; it can even detonate its own body, launching itself great distances in order to travel from mountain to mountain. When earthquakes occur near where Golem live, they will tumble down mountains, rolling at an incredible speed.

Ponyta(ポニータ,Ponīta) is a fire-type Pokémon that resembles a pony, and evolves into Rapidash. Ponyta is a diurnalherdingherbivore Pokémon. They usually live in grasslands or mountains. Ponyta, along with its evolution Rapidash, are based on Pyrios, Aeos, Aethon, and Phlegon, the "fiery steeds" that carried the Greek God Helios's Chariot of the Sun around the world each day. A Ponyta's mane and tail are composed of flame, which grow out about an hour after birth, giving it an impressive appearance.[68] however, the intensity of this flame can be controlled. It can keep its flames cool enough to not even start hay or paper aflame, but it can become hot enough to melt copper in combat. This can be seen in the anime, where Ash discovers he has earned a Ponyta's trust when it ceases to burn him. The hooves of a Ponyta are ten times harder than diamond. It can trample anything completely flat in little time.[69] Its body is light, and its legs are incredibly powerful. It can clear popular landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and Ayers Rock in one leap.[70][71] As a newborn, it can barely stand. However, through galloping, its legs are made tougher and faster.[72] According to IGN, Ponyta's name comes from the word "pony."[73][74]

Ponyta was first seen in The Flame Pokémon-athon, competing in a race in which it evolved near the end, thus gaining the necessary speed to win.

Author Joseph Jay Tobin wrote that Ponyta was popular among young girls.[75] However, fans of these ponies also exist among adult males.

Rapidash(ギャロップ,Gyaroppu, Gallop) is a unicorn-like Pokémon that evolves from Ponyta. Rapidash's head, lower back, and ankles are covered with orange-red fire, which streams out to form an impression of a mane and tail. In the Pokémon universe, Rapidash are usually seen in fields and plains racing against members of their herd. In its natural environment, a Rapidash canters around casually, not in a particularly high speed. However, competition is deeply ingrained in a Rapidash's demeanor, especially if it relates to speed. If a Rapidash sees something that is currently moving faster than itself, such as any type of car or train, it will try earnestly to outrun it.[76] In such a state, the fire burning on Rapidash blazes at full power as it accelerates to speeds approaching 150 miles per hour in less than ten strides. At full gallop, its speed is such that its hooves scarcely touch the ground. Rapidash's hooves are harder than diamonds, like its pre-evolutionary form, Ponyta. The hair on a Rapidash, much like its pre-evolution Ponyta, is extremely hot and induces painful burns if a stranger touches it. Originally called "Gallop" in Japanese, Nintendo decided to give the various Pokémon species "clever and descriptive names" related to their appearance or features when translating the game for western audiences as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children.[2] As a result, the latter was renamed to Rapidash, though it was once known as Galloped in the English beta. According to IGN, Rapidash comes from a combination of "rapid" and "dash" in reference to its speed.[73][74]

IGN readers ranked Rapidash the 90th best Pokémon.[77] IGN's Jack DeVries felt that Rapidash was a cooler Pokémon than its preceding form due to its horn. He added that it was "fast as hell, powerful, and somehow manages to be pretty even though its entire body will kill you" and felt that it was "universally appealing" to fans of cute and cool Pokémon alike.[77] IGN's Pokémon Chick called Rapidash an "absolutely captivating beauty". She called it her favourite Fire type Pokémon and felt that it was underlooked compared to Charizard, Typhlosion, and Arcanine.[78][79] In an MTV Multiplayer-held a poll of the greatest horses in video games for a select panel of people, including Ken Levine of 2K Boston, journalist Leigh Alexander, Mike Krahulik of Penny Arcade, and Tofuburger of I Can Has Cheezburger, Rapidash ranked second, first, and third respectively for the latter three. Tofuburger wrote that it was "so cute, and so cuddly" yet dangerous as well.[80]

Slowpoke(ヤドン, Yadon), known as the Dopey Pokémon, is slow at moving and thinking,[81] and has two separate evolution options. Slowpoke, as its name suggests, is a very slow-witted creature, and requires much patience from its trainer. They are skilled at fishing using their tails, but they are so easily distracted and so unresponsive to pain they may not notice a bite for a day. Slowpoke tails drip an odd syrup-like fluid which many fish are attracted to. Slowpoke's evolution is based on the Pokémon, Shellder. If a Shellder clamps onto a Slowpoke's tail, it will evolve into Slowbro. Its other evolution, Slowking, occurs when a Shellder clamps onto its head while holding a King's Rock.

Slowpoke is well-known even outside the Pokémon fanbase for its slowness, and images of Slowpoke are used to respond to events that are no longer recent.

Slowbro(ヤドラン, Yadoran) is a slow hermit crab-like Pokémon that evolves from Slowpoke. Its name a portmanteau of slow (as in "slow-witted") and bro (as in "brother", probably relating to the fraternal relationship it shares with the Shellder on its tail). Slowpoke becomes Slowbro when a Shellder clamps down on its tail, yet it is so slow and dopey it is sometimes unaware of the change until it gets out of the water. Its Japanese name is most likely derived from 宿借り yadokari (hermit crab). The Shellder which bites on its tail sucks on the aforementioned syrup, and so it is hard to remove. Toxins which leak from the bite pass into Slowbro, which numbs its immunity to pain even more. The relationship between Slowpoke and Shellder is symbiotic; being attached to the Slowpoke enables the Shellder to travel on land, whereas the weight of the Shellder on its tail enables the Slowpoke to walk on its hind legs, freeing the use of its arms.

GameSpy's Justin Leeper wrote that Slowbro looks like it belongs on the short bus.[82] Author Loredana Lipperini called Slowbro a stupid Pokémon and that he "could not even pass the simplest test of intelligence",[83] though that may have been the intention.

In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Slowbro gains a Mega Evolution, causing the Shellder to consume most of its body.

Magnemite(コイル,Koiru, Coil), known as the Magnet Pokémon, is a solid ball of metal with a pair of horseshoe magnets on either side, as well as a single, lidless eye. It has a pair of screws protruding from below the eye, and a large screw forming a sort of "cap" on top of its head. It floats through the air, through a sort of electromagnetic antigravity field generated by the two magnets on either side of its body.[84] Magnemite tend to crowd around generators and power plants, and an individual Magnemite might be attracted to someone with a pocket radio or a Pokégear.[85] The magnets on the side of its body are very powerful, and strengthen by spinning faster.[86][87] A trio of Magnemite may come together to create their evolved form, Magneton. Its name comes from the words "magnet" and "mite".[88]

In Pokémon Red and Blue, Magnemite were introduced as Electric-Type Pokémon, but with the introduction of the Steel-Type in Pokémon Gold and Silver, it was changed to an Electric and Steel-Type Pokémon. They evolve into Magneton after gaining enough experience in battle, and can then evolve into Magnezone by leveling up in certain areas in Sinnoh or Unova. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, a group of Magnemite are the clients of the game's second mission, sending the player to save their friend who is trapped in Thunderwave Cave. One of the rescued Magnemite later asks to join the player's rescue team. Magnemite cannot be recruited otherwise until the post-game, at dungeons like Wish Cave and Lightning Field.

In the anime, Magnemite first appeared in Sparks Fly for Magnemite. Ash and friends were in Gringey City while the power went out. When they were looking around for the cause of the power outage, a lone Magnemite showed up and was feeling attracted to Ash's Pikachu, who was having a cold. When a group of Grimer and its Muk leader were chasing Ash, a group of Magnemite and Magneton helped to fight them off. In Get Along, Little Pokémon, Ash, Misty and Tracey met a man named Ethan who used Magnemite to harness electrical energy from bolts of lightning during thunderstorms and then the electrical energy would be given to towns that were without power. A group of Magnemite, and a Magneton, appeared as security guards in Current Events as they first attacked Team Rocket who snuck into a power station guarded entirely by Pokémon. Ash has battled two Gym Leaders with Magnemite: Jasmine in Nerves of Steelix and Wattson in Watt's with Wattson?.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Magnemite first appears aboard the S.S. Anne as many of the Pokémon ready to attack Red. Later, Lt. Surge uses a Magnemite to fight Morty's Misdreavus, using electromagnetism to shield attacks as well as fire Zap Cannon.

IGN called Magnemite "one of the weirdest looking Pokemon around", and criticized the sound it makes.[88]GamesRadar called it and its evolutions "excellent Electric types to consider".[89] IGN editor "Pokémon of the Day Chick" stated that "in a world full of adorable furry animals and ferocious horned monsters, it's hard for a tiny electric eyeball to find much love."[90] Destructiod's Jim Sterling called Magnemite one of the 30 "rubbish Pokémon" in Red and Blue and wrote that Magnemite was not a Pokémon, but a robot.[91]

Magneton(レアコイル,Reakoiru, Rarecoil) is composed of 3 Magnemite linked together by a strong magnetic force.[92] It levitates on an electromagnetic anti-gravity field like its pre-evolution, Magnemite. Its electromagnetic powers are so strong that it has been known to wreck electronics and precision equipment and cause city-wide blackouts, leading some towns to pass laws requiring that Magnetons be kept in Poké Balls at all times. Magnetons frequently appear whenever sunspots flare up. At high voltage, a Magneton can discharge powerful waves of electromagnetism and radio waves that can raise the temperature by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit within a 3300-ft radius of any location.

Farfetch'd(カモネギ, Kamonegi), is a Wild Duck Pokémon, with brown plumage, and a small crest. It also bears black plumage on its forehead that resembles eyebrows. Its wings are a bit more versatile than most birds' as their feathers can be used as "fingers," allowing it to carry a stalk or spring leek, not a leek.[93] They sometimes choose to hold it in their beaks instead,[94] and hold it in their feet when flying. Farfetch'd cannot live without its stick for unknown reasons, and will defend their stick with their life.[95] The stick is also known to be used as nesting material and as a weapon.[93][94] In case of an emergency situation where the Farfetch'd is starving, it will eat its own stick and hurry off to find a new one.[96] They are known to be picky in the kinds of sticks they accept. Farfetch'd have been known to fight each other over one 'good' stalk.[97] Farfetch'd are found in grasslands, but it always has to be near water. Farfetch'd are also very good swimmers and are often found swimming in ponds. Farfetch'd are rarely seen,[98] so some have tried to prevent its extinction by breeding them.[99] Farfetch'd is obtained in Red and Blue by trading a Spearow to an NPC, and it comes with the permanent nickname "Dux". In Pokémon Gold and Silver, the player must chase an escaped Farfetch'd through Ilex Forest and retrieve it to obtain the HM Cut.

Farfetch'd made its first anime appearance in So Near, Yet So Farfetch'd under the ownership of Keith. It was also showcased in A Farfetch'd Tale where Team Rocket planned to eat it, an aspect of Pokémon world rarely touched on in the anime. Farfetch'd has also made many minor appearances since then. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Farfetch'd is owned by an Azalean boy, who fell victim to the onslaught of Pryce's Pokémon in the depths of Ilex Forest. Bill is later seen in Volume 10 riding a Farfetch'd as a mode of transport to pass Crystal the Portable Pokémon Transporter.

IGN's Pokémon Chick called it "terrible" but felt that it was a "unique Pokemon with loads of personality."[100]Destructoid's Jim Sterling included it in his list of 30 "rubbish" Pokémon. He wrote that while it was a great idea to have a Pokémon based on the aforementioned Japanese story Farfetch'd is based on, Farfetch'd is "kind of shit".[101]GamesRadar's Carolyn Gudmundson included Farfetch'd in her analysis of the most overused Pokémon designs, particularly as evidence of the abundance of duck or duck-like Pokémon.[102] Author Loredana Lipperini wrote that Farfetch'd was "mischievous".[103] An editor for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram wrote that Farfetch'd is his favourite Pokémon and described it as a "wild duck Pokemon that carries a curious weapon a green leek sprig".[104]

Doduo(ドードー,Dōdō, Dodo), known as the TwinBird Pokémon, resembles an ostrich or a roadrunner, with sharp beaks and an extra head. It may also be based on the kiwi. Its name is a portmanteau of the words dodo, the extinct flightless bird, and duo, in reference to its two heads. Doduo's tracks are huge and very distinctive. It inhabits and races across grass-covered plains at 60 mph. It is well-adapted to dry and arid climates. Doduo's second head is said to have been formed by a sudden mutation thousands of years ago. Both heads normally contain identical brains, although rare cases have been observed where a Doduo has two distinctly different brains.

Dodrio(ドードリオ,Dōdorio, Dodrio) is a flightless bird Pokémon with long, powerful legs. Dodrio resembles an ostrich, and its movement is reminiscent of the roadrunner. Its name is a portmanteau of the words dodo, the extinct flightless bird, and trio, in reference to its three heads.

As the evolved form of the two-headed Doduo, Dodrio has three heads, the third head which is said to be formed by one of Doduo's heads splitting during evolution. Each one of the heads constantly expresses a different emotion: joy, sadness, and anger. Having three heads allows Dodrio to collect more information from its surroundings, develop complex plans, and remain alert at all times by keeping watch in three different directions. On the other hand, a Dodrio's three heads are commonly known to squabble amongst themselves, probably due to each one having a different attitude. However, because they share a stomach, the other two heads will be satisfied if one of them gets something to eat. Though Dodrio struggles to fly, it has three sets of hearts and lungs to match its heads, granting it extraordinary stamina while running at high speed. Like its pre-evolution Doduo, it inhabits dry, grassy plains.

In the video games, Dodrio are often used by Bird Keepers and Triathletes practicing in running. In Pokémon Ranger, a Dodrio is the partner of the Fall City Ranger Leader Joel. Dodrio also features in the Pokémon Stadium games as Dodrio Mode, which speeds up the games' Game Boy emulator, and in FireRed, LeafGreen, and Emerald in the mini-game Dodrio Berry-Picking.

In the Pokémon anime, Dodrio first appeared on the morning of the first episode, crowing in place of a rooster. Dario used one in the episode "The Flame Pokémon-athon," and Violet City Gym Leader Falkner battled Ash's Pikachu with one. Gary Oak also evolved his Doduo into a Dodrio.

Seel(パウワウ,Pauwau, Pawou), known as the Sea Lion Pokémon, loves swimming around in freezing cold climates.[105] Seel's horn can be used to break through thick ice.[106] It can not walk well on land, and sleeps in shallow waters during the day.[107][108]

In Pokémon Pinball, a Seel appears in a bonus stage as a target. In Super Smash Bros. Melee Seel is seen as a float in the Pokéfloats stage. In the anime, Seel first appeared in The Water Flowers of Cerulean City, owned by Misty and her sisters at the Cerulean Gym. During this episode, one of them evolved into a Dewgong. Another Seel was seen under the ownership of Rudy's sister Mahri. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Lorelei owned a Seel as a child, which became poisoned due to the effects of nearby industrialization. Mahogany Town Gym Leader Pryce owns two Seel that help him sculpt ice.

Dewgong(ジュゴン, Jugon), known as the Sea Lion Pokémon, is covered in snowy-white fur which leaves it unharmed by icy waters.[109] It also keeps itself warm by storing thermal energy in its body, allowing it to swim at intense speeds with no problem.[110] With a streamlined body, Dewgong has very little drag in water, and can change directions while swimming using its long tail.[111][112] Like its pre-evolved form, Seel, Dewgong sleeps during the day in shallow waters, looking for food at night.[113] When in snow, it is hidden from predators, but when sleeping on glaciers, it is often mistaken for a mermaid.[114][115]

In the anime, Dewgong is first seen evolving from a Seel in the Cerulean Gym in the episode The Misty Mermaid. Dewgong is also seen used by Pryce in As Cold as Pryce and Nice Pryce Baby. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Lorelei's Dewgong first appeared in Do Wrong, Dewgong!, in which it combined its Ice Beam attack with Cloyster's Spike Cannon attack to try and bury Yellow and Bill alive. It is capable of using Ice Beam to create paths of solid ice on which it moves.

Grimer(ベトベター,Betobetā, Betbeter) is a purple pile of viscous, poisonous sludge. It has saucer-like eyes and a gray mouth. Grimer may be distantly related to Koffing (since both Pokémon are associated with pollution, and whose evolutionary lines are the only ones in the first generation to learn Sludge). Grimer emits an odor so strong and disgusting, many cities in the Pokémon world have been evacuated because of their presence. Since Grimer's body lacks a solid form, it can slip through the smallest of openings. Grimer thrive anywhere there is pollution and even feed on it. As it moves, it loses bits of its body from which new Grimer emerge, which worsens the stench around it. Grimer also exudes a germ-infested liquid from its body that acts as a herbicide and makes the land around it uninhabitable for any new plants. Not even weeds will grow in the path of a Grimer. There is some dispute over how a Grimer came to be. Some Pokédex entries claim that a Grimer was born when sludge in a dirty stream was exposed to the moon's X-rays. The Pokédex in Pokémon Sapphire states that a Grimer was born from the sludge that settled on a polluted seabed.[116] Nintendo decided to give the various Pokémon species "clever and descriptive names" related to their appearance or features when translating the game for western audiences as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children.[2] Grimer's name comes from the word "grime."[117] Outside of the main series, Grimer has appeared in games such as Pokémon Pinball, Pokémon Snap, and the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games. In Pokémon Adventures, Koga wears a Grimer on his shoulder in the form of a ninja outfit. He used it extensively to smother Blue, preventing him from breathing and restrict his movement so that he would be unable to call on his Pokémon. He again used it in the battle with the evil Elite Four Agatha, to little effect. Koga's daughter, Janine, is later seen with a Grimer. She uses it against Falkner during the Gym Leader faceoff, using its Minimize attack to outwit his Noctowl.

IGN commented "Moving, fighting, grunting sludge? What's not to like?"[117][118] IGN editor "Pokémon of the Day Chick" commented that Grimer looked cute, citing its "little arms reaching up" and its "little googly Cookie Monster eyes pointed every which way."[119] In discussing Muk, she described it as a "butt-ugly mass of undefined tissue."[120] IGN also listed it in its list of "Do Not Want" Pokémon, describing it as "disgusting", adding that owning a Grimer is a "socio-economic stigma".[121] IGN described Grimer as a disgusting character, comparing its nature to Oscar the Grouch.[122]GamesRadar compared Grimer to Godzilla villain Hedorah.[123] Loredana Lipperini, author of Generazione Pókemon, commented that Grimer was actually good for the environment, since it fed on industrial waste.[124]Albert Bergesen, author of The Depth of Shallow Culture, described Grimer as an "abstract entity" in the series.[125]

Muk(ベトベトン,Betobeton, Betbeton) is the living manifestation of pollution and all things disgusting. Muk looks very similar to its previous form, Grimer. The main differences are that Muk is larger than Grimer, and has a wider mouth and narrower eyes. It is also usually depicted with its left arm being much larger than the right one. The toxicity of a Muk is also stronger than that of a Grimer. Just a drop of Muk's essence can turn a virgin lake into a stagnant, rancid swamp within minutes. The poison from a Muk has a negative effect on whoever touches it, ranging from a simple fever to death. Its footprints alone can cause influenza if a person or Pokémon were to come in contact with it. Muk likes warm and moist places, such as garbage dumps or sewers. They sometimes also reside in dirty back alleys and in cities where pollution is common. Despite its severe toxicity, Muk has the ability to control its toxins and will never deliberately cause harm unless provoked to do so. Nintendo decided to give the various Pokémon species "clever and descriptive names" related to their appearance or features when translating the game for western audiences as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children.[2] Muk's name comes from the word "muck".[118] Outside of the main series, Muk has appeared in games such as Pokémon Pinball, Pokémon Snap, and the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games. In the anime, Ash and friends encounter a horde of Grimer, which is led by a Muk. After a group of Magnemite and Magneton save them, Ash captures the Muk. When Ash first caught Muk, its smell was able to escape the Poké Ball, much to everyone's displeasure. For this reason, Muk was given to Professor Oak. A running gag in the series involves Muk and his overly affectionate personality. He constantly expressing gratitude towards Professor Oak by hugging him, and in the process smothering him with its gooey body. Ash's first time using Muk in a Pokémon battle was during the Indigo League against a Bellsprout that was able to defeat Bulbasaur and Pikachu. However, Muk was able to defeat Bellsprout easily with one body slam. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Koga uses a Muk in his attack on Zapdos. Muk is seen again during the Elite Four saga, used by Koga to shield himself from the debris of the collapsing Cerise Island.

GamesRadar compared Muk to Godzilla villain Hedorah.[123] GamesRadar also included it on the list of the most disturbing Pokémon, citing how its poison is able to kill nearby plant life.[126] Albert Bergesen, author of The Depth of Shallow Culture, described Muk as an "abstract entitity" in the series.[125]

Shellder(シェルダー,Sherudā) is a cheeky bivalve (oyster or clam) Pokémon; it constantly pokes its tongue out at anybody, whether friend or foe. It will also spit on foes to antagonize them. Its shell is very strong, apparently harder than a diamond, though only made of a single, smooth layer. Shellder becomes vulnerable when the enemy can attack its insides. When not protecting itself in battle, it will attack by squirting water at the foe. As a last resort, it will clamp the foe with its powerful shell. However, this leaves Shellder vulnerable to an attack, hence, it is rarely used. Shellder travels by rapidly opening and closing its shell, propelling it in the opposite direction of its shell through the water (similarly to scallops). Shellder are incapable of travel on land, unless in a Poké Ball. Its tongue is soft and pink, and must be sticky enough to catch prey on the seafloor. Shellder is integral to the evolution of Slowpoke as is the body part of Slowpoke to which Shellder bites on: its tail. Once Shellder bites the Slowpoke's tail, the two will evolve into a single Pokémon, Slowbro. If Shellder instead attaches itself to Slowpoke's head, it will create Slowking, a notably smarter Pokémon than the other two. This evolution can be reversed if Shellder falls off Slowbro's tail or Slowking's head. The evolution benefits both Pokémon: Slowpoke can now walk on its hind legs and Shellder can both eat the scraps of the Slowpoke, and finally move on land. The newly attached Shellder looks very different from its previous purple form, since it changes form when it bites.

Cloyster(パルシェン,Parushen, Parshen) are bivalve Pokémon, guarded by an extremely strong, multi-layered shell. The shell is strong enough to withstand a bomb explosion and cannot be pried open by even those with superior strength. Nobody has seen their dark innards, which are Cloyster's weak spot as they are very soft and vulnerable. They launch thick, powerful spikes at enemies in battle, as well as to capture prey. These spikes are even stronger than their shell. Cloyster can also crush prey by clamping their thick shell around them. When attacked, they simply shut their shells to avoid further damage. To travel through water, they swim by swallowing water and jetting it out opposite to the direction they want to move. Cloyster evolve from Shellder with a Water Stone.

Gastly(ゴース,Gōsu, Ghos), known as the Gas Pokémon, was called Spirit in the beta versions of Red and Blue. Its name comes from the word "Ghastly", as it is 95% gas.[127] Gastly appears to be nothing more than a black ball of ghostly matter that is surrounded by a purple glow of smog. Gastly has big, white eyes and a mouth with a pair of fangs in it. Due to having a body made of gas, Gastly can slip into any place it wants.[128] However, Gastly's body will dwindle away when exposed to a strong wind.[128] Because of this, groups of them shall gather under the eaves of houses to prevent being blown away.[129] A Gastly is capable of toppling an Indian elephant within two seconds by enveloping it in poisonous gas.[130] They are also proficient at sneaking up on unsuspecting prey and putting it to sleep or poisoning it through its skin.[131] As Gastly's body is blown away by wind Gastly live in old, dilapidated buildings,[132] and can also be found at cemeteries. Gastly's evolutionary line comprises the only Ghost-types introduced in the first generation.

In the anime, Gastly first appeared in The Ghost of Maiden's Peak. This Gastly had the ability to talk and shape-shift. He kept posing himself as the spirit of the woman which legend said turned to stone after many years of waiting for her love to return to her. Gastly kept on toying with the minds of young men. The first time a regular Gastly appeared was in The Tower of Terror. Ash and his friends went to Lavender Town in search of a Ghost-type Pokémon to aid Ash in defeating Sabrina. Morty used a Gastly to battle Ash in From Ghost to Ghost. A pair of Gastly were among a group of Ghost Pokémon living in an abandoned mine in Fear Factor Phony. The Ghost Pokémon couldn't stand the partying Psychic Pokémon that lived in the nearby town, so they created a Haunter-like illusion to scare everyone away.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Gastly first appears possessing the corpses of dead Pokémon in Pokémon Tower. Red's Bulbasaur manages to defeat it by sucking up the surrounding air with its bulb, along with Gastly's gaseous form, and expelling it in a SolarBeam. Gastly also forms as part of the Ghost-type army Agatha sends out to attack the Gym Leaders. The Masked Man also used a Gastly in his team to capture Celebi, due to its type advantage. It was purposed to possess intruders that entered the Ilex Forest. Later, during the fight at the Indigo Stadium, it took out Suicune using its Curse technique, locking Suicune and Misty inside Suicune's crystal wall. It was later defeated by Eusine's Haunter.

GamesRadar described Gastly, and its evolutions as "highly useful", further describing its abilities and design as "top shelf".[133][134] IGN commented that due to a lack of Ghost type Pokémon, passing up Gastly was a "sin."[127] Author Loredana Lipperini described Gastly as a "sticky and terrifying apparition".[37]

Haunter(ゴースト,Gōsuto, Ghost), called the "Gas Pokémon", appears as a purple, levitating spherical creature, with three spikes extending from each side of its head, angled towards its backside and slightly upward. Its lower back ends in a larger cone-shaped tail, ending in a jagged edge on the sides and of nearly equal length of its body. Its face consists of two white triangular eyes and a wide, pink mouth with jagged teeth that blend into its body. Haunter's body levitates in the air while its sole appendages—two disembodied three-finger hands—hover in the air in front of it. Within the lore of the series, Haunter are described as hiding in very dark places such as graveyards and abandoned caves, stalking their prey.[135] They attack prey by licking them with their tongue, causing paralysis and draining life energy, represented in the games by their "Lick" attack.[136] Haunter can also turn intangible to pass through solid objects, or camouflage themselves as a floating purple orb.[137]

Gengar(ゲンガー,Gengā, Gangar), known as the Shadow Pokémon, is a dark-purple Pokémon with a roundish body. Gengar is the first of its evolutions to have hands and legs connected to its body. Gengar also has a spike-covered back, and its eyes are a sinister red. Its mouth is usually curled into a wicked grin. Gengar steals the heat from the area around it;[138] its presence cools the temperature of the surrounding area by nearly 10 °F.[139]

Onix(イワーク,Iwāku, Iwark), known as the RockSnake Pokémon, is a giant chain of gray boulders, with a rocky spine on its head. The Pokémon has a magnet in its brain that serves as an internal compass, which helps it keep direction while burrowing.[140] Onix's body becomes more rounded and smoother as it grows with age, as well as getting harder,[140][141] as it incorporates many of the hard objects it encounters while digging.[142] It tunnels under the ground at over fifty miles per hour,[143] in search of food.[144] Onix can commonly be found in mountains and caves because the Onix can camouflage itself in them.

In the anime, Onix first appeared in Showdown in Pewter City under the ownership of Brock. He used it in his journeys in Kanto and Johto before giving it to his little brother, Forrest, in A Family That Battles Together, Stays Together. At some time before Grating Spaces, it evolved into a Steelix. Ash and co. encountered a giant Onix in To Master the Onixpected. It was on a rampage until Bruno managed to get a Sandslash from under the Rock Snake Pokémon's "skin". Bruno captured the Onix afterward. The Crystal Onix featured a Crystal Onix. Ash and co. helped a glass sculptor named Mateo search for it because Mateo believed it would help inspire him to be better at his craft. In Hello Pummelo, Drake of the Orange Crew owns an Onix and he used it to fight Ash's Squirtle in the second round in the Orange League Champion match. A "King Onix" was featured in Hooked on Onix. Team Rocket tricked King Onix into thinking Ash and co. were going to destroy his kingdom. When Ash managed to convince King Onix that he and his friends weren't bad after defeating it in a battle, Team Rocket tried to steal the royal Rock Snake Pokémon, but their plan was foiled. Roark's Onix was first seen in Shapes of Things to Come where it was used against Paul's Elekid and Chimchar. In A Gruff Act to Follow, it defeated Ash's Turtwig, followed by Ash's Pikachu but Pikachu managed to defeat it in a rematch in O'er the Rampardos we Watched.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Onix debuts in Onix is On! as Brock's main Pokémon, however a picture of it is shown on a leaflet in Wanted: Pikachu!. Onix later continues to make appearances with Brock in various volumes onwards. Bruno owns an Onix, on which he battles Bill, Lt. Surge and Red on Cerise Island. The Onix later manages to carry Bruno and Koga off the collapsing island. Another wild Onix was also seen on Cerise Island.

IGN wrote that Onix was an "interesting creature" but that it was difficult to recommend it over other Rock or Ground types such as Golem or Aerodactyl due in part to its lack of an evolution at the time.[145] IGN's Pokémon Chick wrote that Onix was inferior to Golem and Rhydon as a Rock type.[146]GamesRadar's Brett Elston similarly found it cool but found its usefulness to be "quite low".[147] Author Ash Dekirk wrote that Onix resembles a "great wurm of rock".[148] Author Mark Allen Peterson made reference to an anti-Pokémon flyer posted in Cairo which argued that Pokémon names such as Onix were sending "encoded blasphemous meanings"; specifically, this poster argued that Onix meant "Say no to God".[149]Kotaku's Patricia Hernandez claimed that Steelix was an example of an evolution introduced in Gold and Silver that improved over its original form.[150]

Drowzee(スリープ,Surīpu, Sleepe), known as the Hypnosis Pokémon, is a bipedal Pokémon that is based on the Baku, resembling a tapir.[151] Its eyes are tired looking and it has a trunk above its mouth. Its arms are quite short in length and its hands each have three fingers. The upper half of a Drowzee's body is yellow and the lower half is apparently covered with brown mud. It has a round belly and its legs are quite stubby. Its feet are brown, except for its two toes, which are the same yellow color as the upper half of the body, and the bottom, which has a small, round, pink colored pad in the middle of it. Its special abilities allow it to hypnotize its enemies to eat their dreams.[152] When it twitches its nose, it can tell where someone is sleeping and what that person is dreaming about.[153] If a person’s nose becomes itchy when they are sleeping, it is said to be a sure sign that a Drowzee is standing above their pillow and trying to eat their dream through the person’s nostrils.[154] Drowzee has certain preferences for the dreams it eats, and it is known to love fun dreams and rarely eat the dreams of adults, as the dreams of children are seemingly tastier.[155] Drowzee remembers every dream it has eaten,[155] and may show dreams it has eaten in the past to a person that often sleeps by it.[156] Originally called "Sleepe" in Japanese, Nintendo decided to give the various Pokémon species "clever and descriptive names" related to their appearance or features when translating the game for western audiences as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children.[2] As a result, Nintendo renamed it to Drowzee, deriving the name from the word "drowsy".[157]

In the anime, Drowzee first appeared alongside its evolved form in Hypno's Naptime. Both of the Hypnosis Pokémon were used to help the members of the Pokémon Lover's Club get sleep. Hypno was causing children to act like Pokémon and draining the energy off of the Pokémon in the local Pokémon Center. Drowzee was used to fix the mess Hypno created.[158] Drowzee made another appearance in Pikachu Re-Volts. Butch and Cassidy used a Drowzee to brainwash Pokémon into turning against their Trainers and obeying Butch and Cassidy.[159] Drowzee was living in an abandoned mining town with several other Psychic Pokémon in Fear Factor Phony.[160]

Since appearing in the Pokémon series, it has appeared in several forms of merchandise, including figures, plush toys, and the Pokémon Trading Card Game. GamesRadar editor Brett Elston commented that while Drowzee's appearance was "freakish", citing its "articulated snout and two-tone hide", the image of it "savoring a child’s dreams makes my toes shrivel into dust".[161] In terms of gameplay, Elston noted that he has rarely seen Drowzee used in battle.[162] The book Improving Writing at KS2 getting it right for the boys and girls uses Drowzee as an example of both how names of Pokémon can come from real life words as well as a good Pokémon for use in making up attributes and stories, describing it as an "elephant with psychic powers".[163] Author Loredana Lipperini also described it as an elephant, specifically describing it as a "yellow elephant in his underwear."[164] Author Shannon Knudsen used Drowzee as an example of a fictional creature based on the mythological creature baku, a creature who also eats peoples' dreams.[165] IGN editor "Pokémon of the Day Chick" commented that while Drowzee was "fugly", she loved it. She added that she remembers catching Drowzee for the first time, explaining that while she intended to capture an Abra, she lost interest when she discovered that everyone had raised one, preferring to be original. She also stated that Drowzee had an "adorable pot belly".[166][167]

Hypno(スリーパー,Surīpā, Sleeper), known as the Hypnosis Pokémon, is a humanoid creature resembling a bipedal, wingless griffin. It always carries its favorite pendulum in its hand, which it uses to put others to sleep. Hypno is a curiously sinister Pokémon that puts other Pokémon and people to sleep. It does so by swinging the pendulum, which it carries in its hand all the time. When hunting for prey, it will polish the mysterious pendulum. Eating the dreams of its foes is another sinister ability of Hypno. However, stomach pains will ail Hypno if it eats a nightmare. At dusk, some Hypno will appear near schools and less-traveled roads. This may be to scare children and travelers at night and hypnotize them. In fact, there was once an incident where Hypno hypnotized and kidnapped a child. It is possible that Hypno never sleeps, as evident by its Insomnia ability. Instead of sleeping, it probably energizes itself with meditation and by eating the dreams of those it puts to sleep. Hypno's menacing and semi-parted eyelids look sleep deprived.

Hypno has appeared in several pieces of promotional material including a T-shirt which Joystiq's JC Fletcher wrote had an "interesting silhouette style" and that it was creepy because it depicted Hypno kidnapping children.[168] IGN's Pokémon Chick wrote that "Hypno always has been and always will be my favorite Psychic type" and attributed it possibly due to its "luxurious white ruff and shiny pendulum". She added that it is the "only two-legged Pokemon I can stand to this day."[169] She added that Hypno has "ungodly defense".[170]Destructoid's Jim Sterling included it in his list of 30 "rubbish Pokémon" in Red and Blue. He wrote that it was "a disappointing evolution when compared to what they start out as" and "severely ugly-looking, with its Gonzo nose and nasty, slitty little eyes".[171]

Krabby(クラブ,Kurabu, Crab) is a crab with large pincers. Krabby is an omnivore and a scavenger; it rarely hunts for itself. It can also act as a filter feeder on bacteria in the sand, but this is rare. It is territorial, and in beaches where there is little food, fights between Krabby are common. Krabby also uses camouflage; it can form mucus sacs about itself if threatened, making it seem larger or making it harder to spot against sea sand. It is usually very small, but it makes up with its aggressiveness. If it loses a pincer, it can grow it back, but in the meantime loses its sense of balance and cannot walk sideways.

Krabby first appeared at a beach in episode 13, Mystery At The Lighthouse, when Ash Ketchum wanted to prove that he could catch a Pokémon alone. After the capture (which involved Krabby attacking Ash's finger), it was automatically transferred to Professor Oak's lab, because Ash already had six Pokémon with him. To Ash's great surprise, Gary had also caught another Krabby, which was much larger than his. Ash used Krabby in his first battle at the Indigo Tournament. Krabby won against an Exeggutor and evolved into Kingler.

Kingler(キングラー,Kingurā) is a crab with a single humongous claw. The claw grew to this size to protect Kingler from possible predators. It has the crushing force of 10,000 psi, but it comes at a price. The claw is very heavy, forcing Kingler to spend much of its time in the water, where the claw's buoyancy makes it lighter. However, due to this immense size and weight, Kingler can use the claw as a club-like weapon, the result of which is its signature attack, Crabhammer. However, Kingler can transition from water to land with relative ease, and when above water, it communicates with others of its species by waving its claw. It has four legs, which it uses to scuttle around. Its claw is normally kept low to the ground in order for Kingler to keep its stamina up. Kingler's disproportionately large pincer is based on that of its real-life counterpart, the fiddler crab.

In the anime, Ash's Krabby evolved into Kingler during the 1st round of the Indigo League. Kingler was barely used during his adventures in Kanto and Johto, although it was also used in the Whirlpool Tournament. Ash was also going to use Kingler in the Johto League, but an accident caused by three Voltorb injured Kingler, and therefore it couldn't battle. Ash's Kingler still lives at Professor Oak's Lab.

Ash's Kingler is voiced by Unshō Ishizuka in both the Japanese and English-language versions of the Pokémon anime.

Voltorb(ビリリダマ, Biriridama) are aggressive red and white ball shaped Pokémon that looks strikingly similar to a Poké Ball. Since it was discovered shortly after Poké Balls were invented, some believe there is a connection. Though roughly ten times larger, many trainers get a surprise when they pick one up thinking it is a Poké Ball. When jarred or angered, a Voltorb can and will explode, causing massive damage to their aggressor and themselves. It is so unstable that even the slightest bump in the road will make it explode spontaneously. The strength of their explosions is dependent on how much electricitythey store in their bodies. Voltorb do not have a mouth, but do have two eyes that are normally slanted into an aggressive stare.

In Pokémon Stadium, Voltorb featured in its own mini game, alongside Pikachu, called "Thundering Dynamo", in which players need to press the button corresponding to the light bulb's color to charge up electricity.

Kotaku's Patricia Hernandez called Voltorb an "awful Pokémon" due to its resemblance to Poké Balls.[150]

Electrode(マルマイン,Marumain, Marumine), known as the Ball Pokémon, is a red and white ball shaped Pokémon that looks strikingly similar to a Poké Ball with its colors reversed (white on top and red on bottom instead of red on top and white on bottom, like Voltorb). They are known to explode at the slightest shock and without warning. Electrode feed on and store electricity from power plants and lightning storms, but rarely do they use it to attack foes. It instead uses its stored electricity to increase its rolling speed. The strength of an Electrode's explosion is relative to the amount electricity stored. The stored energy also generates strong static electricity around Electrode's body, sometimes paralyzing enemies on contact. If it is bored, it often amuses itself by exploding. Electrode has two beady eyes and a permanent grin.

Electrode appears in the Super Smash Bros. series, where it uses Self-Destruct after coming out of a Poké Ball. In Brawl and 3DS/Wii U, Electrode will sometimes be a dud, and not explode immediately. This allows it to be picked up and thrown. If left alone it will eventually explode on its own. It can be picked up and thrown as well in Melee and Brawl when it turns white before it explodes.

Kotaku's Patricia Hernandez called Electrode an "awful Pokémon" due to its resemblance to Poké Balls.[150]

^Game Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Ruby". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Growlithe has a superb sense of smell. Once it smells anything, this Pokémon won't forget the scent, no matter what. It uses its advanced olfactory sense to determine the emotions of other living things.

^Game Freak (1999-10-19). "Pokémon Yellow". Game Boy. Nintendo. A legendary Pokémon in China. Many people are charmed by its grace and beauty while running.

^Game Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Ruby". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Arcanine is known for its high speed. It is said to be capable of running over 6,200 miles in a single day and night. The fire that blazes wildly within this Pokémon's body is its source of power.

^Game Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Ruby". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Poliwag has a very thin skin. It is possible to see the Pokémon's spiral innards right through the skin. Despite its thinness, however, the skin is also very flexible. Even sharp fangs bounce right off it.

^Game Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Ruby". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. The surface of Poliwhirl's body is always wet and slick with an oily fluid. Because of this greasy covering, it can easily slip and slide out of the clutches of any enemy in battle.

^ abGame Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Ruby". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Machop's muscles are special - they never get sore no matter how much they are used in exercise. This Pokémon has sufficient power to hurl a hundred adult humans.

^ abGame Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Sapphire". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Machop exercises by hefting around a Graveler as if it were a barbell. There are some Machop that travel the world in a quest to master all kinds of martial arts.

^Game Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Ruby". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Tentacruel has large red orbs on its head. The orbs glow before lashing the vicinity with a harsh ultrasonic blast. This Pokémon's outburst causes rough waves around it.

^Game Freak (2005-05-01). "Pokémon Emerald". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. It lives in complex rock formations on the ocean floor and traps prey using its 80 tentacles. Its red orbs glow when it grows excited or agitated.

^ abGame Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Sapphire". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. When Geodude sleeps deeply, it buries itself halfway into the ground. It will not awaken even if hikers step on it unwittingly. In the morning, this Pokémon rolls downhill in search of food.

^ abGame Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Ruby". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. The longer a Geodude lives, the more its edges are chipped and worn away, making it more rounded in appearance. However, this Pokémon's heart will remain hard, craggy, and rough always.

^Game Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Ruby". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Farfetch'd is always seen with a stick from a plant of some sort. Apparently, there are good sticks and bad sticks. This Pokémon has been known to fight with others over sticks.

^Game Freak (1999-10-19). "Pokémon Yellow". Game Boy. Nintendo. Lives where reedy plants grow. They are rarely seen, so it is thought their numbers are decreasing.

^Game Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Ruby". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Dewgong loves to snooze on bitterly cold ice. The sight of this Pokémon sleeping on a glacier was mistakenly thought to be a mermaid by a mariner long ago.

^Game Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Sapphire". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Grimer emerged from the sludge that settled on a polluted seabed. This Pokémon loves anything filthy. It constantly leaks a horribly germ-infested fluid from all over its body.

^Game Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Ruby". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Gastly is largely composed of gaseous matter. When exposed to a strong wind, the gaseous body quickly dwindles away. Groups of this Pokémon cluster under the eaves of houses to escape the ravages of wind.

^ abGame Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Ruby". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. Onix has a magnet in its brain. It acts as a compass so that this Pokémon does not lose direction while it is tunneling. As it grows older, its body becomes increasingly rounder and smoother.

^Game Freak (2003-03-17). "Pokémon Ruby". Game Boy Advance. Nintendo. If your nose becomes itchy while you are sleeping, it is a sure sign that one of these Pokémon is standing above your pillow and trying to eat your dream through your nostrils.